Pilots rack up GCAC honors
March 03, 2006
Shreveport, LA--- In the 2006 season, the LSUS Pilots have reached several of the goals they set before them as a team when the season began. While their ultimate goal of capturing their first ever NAIA National Championship has yet to be determined, they have done everything they can to give themselves the best opportunity they can ask for. While individual accolades and performances should never overshadow the success of an entire team, as no one person is more important than the other, the Pilots are proud to announce this seasons Gulf Coast Athletic Conference award winners.
Three members of the LSUS Pilots were selected to the GCAC 1st Team All-Conference list; Jeremy Johnston; Josh Porter; and Fredericko Payne. In addition to All-Conference honors, Porter was selected as the GCAC Newcomer of the Year, and for the second consecutive season, Payne was selected as the GCAC Player of the year.
Johnston, a 6’9 center from Bossier City, LA, attended Louisiana Tech University after graduating from Airline High School in 2002. He averaged 2.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game as a role player at Tech before deciding to transfer to LSUS for his senior season.
After 27 games in a Pilot uniform, Johnston has averaged 15.4 points and six rebounds per game. His .610 shooting percentage ranks him among the Top 10 in the NAIA in that category. Johnston also leads the Pilots with 22 blocked shots and is second on the team in made free-throws with 94.
“Jeremy made an immediate impact for us once he arrived here at LSUS. He continues to work hard in the weight room, at practice, and especially at tip-off. He is a leader on and off the floor and we are very happy that he made the decision to join the Pilot family and it has been a pleasure to see him have so much fun and play as well as he has this season,” commented Head Coach Chad McDowell.
Porter, a junior transfer NCAA Division I transfer from Stephen F. Austin has also made a big impact on the Pilots drive towards a 2006 National Championship. The 6’2 shooting guard graduated from Southwood High School in 2003, and has become one of the NAIA’s top offensive threats. Porter is currently the 9th leading scorer in the country averaging 19.6 points per game. His ability to score from any where on the floor makes him the target of opposing defenses every night. His athleticism and shooting ability however has him ranked 7th in the NAIA in three-point field goals made with a 3.2 per contest.
“Josh is a very talented basketball player who can shoot the ball as well as anyone at this level. His offensive numbers speak for themselves, but what often gets over shadowed is his ability to defend and rebound. Josh is up to the challenge of defending our opponents best player’s and does an outstanding job of doing so, and still manages to perform at the offensive end as well. We expect big things from him the rest of this season and feel like he is a candidate to be a 2005-2006 NAIA All-American,” says McDowell of Porter.
This years GCAC Player of the Year award went to the Pilots 2004-2005 NAIA All-American, Fredericko Payne. For the third straight season, Payne has led the Pilots in scoring with 20.0 per game, which places him 7th in the NAIA after leading the country in scoring in 2005.
Payne has rewritten the record books at LSUS and is the All-Time leading scorer with 2168 points, and also holds the record for career steals with 251. He has averaged 3.75 three-point field goals per game this season which is 2nd best in the NAIA, and is currently 6th in free-throw percentage at 86%.
The two-time Louisiana Small College Player of the Year award winner has lifted the Pilots to a 73-24 overall record in three years and yet still feels as though there is a lot to accomplish before his senior season is complete.
“We have done well the past three years, but we still haven’t reached the top,” comments Payne. “While I am grateful for the opportunity to play the game I love everyday for a great coach and the best teammates you could ask for, we still have two goals we have yet to reach; a conference tournament championship, and an NAIA National Championship.”
While this three-time GCAC All-Conference guard has some high expectations, Coach McDowell believes this is why the Pilots have had such success in their first three seasons.
“Rico has accomplished so much in three years, and yet there is only one thing on his mind; a national championship. While it is everyone’s goal to win a national championship, not everyone believes that they can get there, and I think that is what makes our guys so special. They are not happy with being good; they want to be the best and they believe they can be. We have just as much talent as anyone in the country and we are a very good basketball team when we play together like we have all year long,” concluded McDowell.
GCAC Men's All-Conference Team
2005-2006
|
James Bryant |
Belhaven |
|
Cash Covington |
Spring Hill |
|
Renaldo Dorsey |
William Carey |
|
Barkley Falkner |
Spring Hill |
|
Krisner Green |
Spring Hill |
|
Bobby Johnson |
Belhaven |
|
Jeremy Johnston |
LSUS |
|
Fredericko Payne |
LSUS |
|
Josh Porter |
LSUS |
|
Braxton Robins |
William Carey |
Coach of the Year: Robert Thompson Spring Hill
Player of the Year: Fredericko Payne LSUS
Freshman of the Year: Jeremy Price Spring Hill
Newcomer of the Year: Josh Porter LSUS
